Time-indicator.



PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905.

J. GHILDS.

TIME INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I PATENTED JAN. 81, 1905.

J. OHILDS..

TIME INDICATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 18, 1904:.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented January 31, 1905 PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE CI-IILDS, OF HITES, PENNSYLVANIA.

TIME-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,131, dated January 31, 1905.

Application filed February 18, 1904. Serial No. 194,119.

To (LZZ whom, it Wuty concern:

Be it known that I, J ESSE CHILDs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hites, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in indicators, and has for its object to provide an indicator which may be readily used in hospitals, sick-rooms, and like places, although the same may be readily constructed to be used in hotels, if so desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide an indicator which may be set at a predetermined time, whereby when the time has arrived notice will be given to the party who is to accomplish the purpose that the indicator has been set for.

Briefly described, the indicator illustrated is adapted to be used in hospitals and sick-rooms, and in carrying out the invention I employ a clock mechanism the dialof which is adapted to be rotated similar to the hour-hand of a clock, and upon this dial are indicated a plurality of numbers representing the numbers which are provided for medicines to be given at certain hours, and in conjunction with this indicator I employ a partition-box comprising a plurality of stalls in which the diiferent medicines are placed, and numbers are applied to these stalls similar to the numbers carried by the dial of the clock mechanism. In the clock-casing I place batteries, whereby when a certain number is to be indicated an electric bell will be rung, and Where the indicator is used at night the medicine-stalls will be illuminated, whereby the person or nurse attending the same may make no mistake in getting the right medicine to be given at the hour indicated by the clock.

The invention further consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings,

' forming a part of this application, and wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the indicator and medicine-stalls. Fig. 2 is a front view of the dial removed from the indicator. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the dial and a side elevation of one of the keys or pins. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the contact-hand. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the medicine-stall. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the indicator. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring of the device. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the medicine-stall employed by me in my modified form. Fig. 9 is a modified form of dial. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 11 is a detail view of one of the keys or pins.

To put my invention into practice, I employ a clock-casing 1, which is preferably circular in form, and upon said casing I secure a cabinet 2, having adoor 3, upon which is located the electric bell 4. In this cabinet are placed the dry batteries 5, and in the clockcasing is secured the clock mechanism 6. This mechanism consists of the mainspring 7 and the gear-wheels 8, 9, 10, and 11, the gear-wheels beingso disposed and geared as to impart a rotary movement to the shaft 12, upon which the gear-wheel 11 is mounted, the shaft 12 and these gear-wheels being secured in a suitable bracket 14. Upon the outer end of the shaft 12 I secure a circular dial 15, which is adapted to be rotated similar to the hour-hand of a clock, and upon this dial I place a plurality of circles, the space between each circle indicating the number of medicines which are used, and in the drawings I have illustrated the same as being used for twelve medicines. The dial is divided ofi into twelve equal spaces, as indicated at 16, each one of these spaces representing the hour of the day, as by the numerals 17, arranged in the inner circle of the dial. The number of medicines are indicated by the numerals 18, which are placed between the circles and the spaces representing the hour of the day. In these spaces and between the circles I also provide the apertures 19, in which are adapted to be placed a key or pin 20, this key or pin having its head bent at right angles, as indicated at 21, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

Secured to the casing of the clock I provide a stationary contact-hand 22, which extends downwardly in front of the dial, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings, and upon this hand I secure the live wires 23 24, said wires leading to the batteries 5 in the cabinet of theindicator.

The medicine-stalls comprise a casing 25, having a base 26 and a top or partial cover 27, and between the base and the top of the casing I provide a plurality of vertical partitions 28, in which are adapted to be placed the different medicines to be given to a patient. Upon the top of the casing I employ a plurality of small incandescent lights, as indicated at 29, these lights being supplied from the dry batteries of the indicator and adapted to be illuminated at a predetermined time. Upon the edge of the top 27 I provide numbers 30, which correspond to the numbers 18 upon the dial 15.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings 1 have illustrated the wiring of my improved indicator, the said view being, it is to be understood, merely a diagram not intended to show the actual construction of the separate parts. In this figure one pole of battery 5 is connected by a wire 34. to a bus-bar 33, to which all the lamps 29 are connected, the other terminal of each lamp leading to one of the bus-bars 32 in rear of apertures 19 in dial 15. The other pole of the battery is connected to the wire 23, carried by stationary contact-hand 22, so that when the finger 20 reaches and contacts with the wires 23 24: a circuit will be established through the lamp which is in connection with the aperture in which the key is located. At the same time the bell 35, being in circuit with bus-bar 33, will be rung.

The operation of this form of indicator is as follows: It being desired to give a patient a certain medicine at a predetermined hour, the medicine having been first placed in one of the stalls of the medicine-casing, the key 20 is placed at the predetermined hour in the aperture 19 corresponding to the number carried by the dial, which number in turn corresponds to the number of the stall in which the medicine is placed. Upon the key having been placed in the desired aperture the retation of the clock-dial 15 will cause the key 26 to contact with the vertical stationary hand 22, the portion 21 of said key engaging the live wires 23 and 24, which lead to the battery, thus completing the circuit, whereby the incandescent lights are illuminated and the electric bell 35 is rung. It will thus be seen from this operation and description that a doctor attending a patient may go to the indicator and place the pins 20 in the proper hours and medicine-numbers, thereby dispensing with these instructions, which are generally given to the nurse in charge of the patient, the doc tor also placing the medicine in the numbered stalls which correspond with the medicinenumbers carried by the dial, and when the hour arrives upon which the medicine is to be given to the patient the electric bell will be sounded, notifying the nurse which medicine is to be given upon the nurse consulting the dial of the indicator.

In Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, I, have illustrated a modified form wherein medicine-stalls 36 are employed, which are similar in construction to the medicine-stalls 25, excepting the incandescent lights 29 are dispensed with. In Fig. 9 of the drawings I have shown a dial 337, which is laid off upon the same lines as the dial 15, and I employ this dial in connection with the clock mechanism 38, which is of the ordinary construction. In this modified form the dial and medicine-stalls are employed in a sick-room where it will be impossible to install the electrical mechanism described in the preferred form, and in the modified form the pins 39 are used in a similar manner to the pins 20, heretofore described. I dispense with the batteries and electric bell in this form, and upon the clock indicating an hour it will be the duty of the nurse to inspect the dial and find what medicine is to be given at that hour.

It will be noted that my improved indicator may be readily enlarged and employed in hetels and like places for indicating predetermined calls which are often necessary for the guests of a hotel.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An indicator in combination with clock mechanism, of a rotatable dial, said dial having spaces arranged thereon corresponding to the hours of the day, a plurality of circles arranged upon said dial, a plurality of numbers arranged within said circles, a plurality of apertures, formed in said dial, a medicinecasing comprising a plurality of stalls, said casing having a plurality of numbers arranged thereon corresponding to the numbers carried by the dial, a key adapted to be carried by the apertures of the dial, a contact-hand adapted to engage said key, an electric bell carried by the indicator, a plurality of incandescent lights carried by the medicine-casing, a source of electrical energy adapted to operate said bell and illuminate said lights when the contact-hand engages the key carried by the dial, substantially as described.

2. An indicator in combination with clock mechanism, of a rotatable dial, said dial hav ing spaces arranged thereon corresponding to the hour of the day, a plurality of circles arranged upon said dial. a plurality of numbers arranged within said circles, said dial having a plurality of apertures formed therein, keys adapted to be secured within said apertures, a medicine-casing having a plurality of vertical partitions formed therein, said casing having a plurality of numbers arranged thereon and corresponding to the numbers carried by the dial, a contacting arm adapted to engage the keys carried by the dial, an electrical bell carried by the indicator, incandescent lights carried by the medicine-casing, means for operating said bell when the contact-arm engages the keys, means for illuminating the incandescent lights when the contact-hand engages the key, substantially as described.

3. In an indicator, the combination of a dial, means for rotating the dial, said dial being formed with circular rows of apertures, busbars arranged on said dial, a key adapted to be placed in any of said apertures and to contact with one of said bus-bars, a stationary contact-hand adapted to be engaged by said key on rotation of the disk, a medicine-chest having a plurality of compartments, an electric lamp disposed over each compartment, each lamp being electrically connected with one of said bus-bars, whereby, when said key and contact-hand engage, a circuit will be completed through one of said lamps.

4.. An indicator comprising a casing, clock mechanism mounted within said casing, a rotatable dial operated by said mechanism, a plurality of apertures formed in said dial, a plurality of circles arranged upon said dial, a plurality of numbers arranged within said circles, a plurality of apertures formed in said dial, keys adapted to be inserted within said apertures, a contact-hand carried by the casing and adapted to engage said keys, an alarm carried by said casing, a medicine-casing having aplurality of partitions formed therein, a plurality of lights carried by said casing, means carried within said casing whereby when the hand engages the keys, the alarm Will be sounded, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JESSE OHILDS Witnesses:

LOUISA J. NORMAN, R. K. NORMAN. 

